LIFE STORIES OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEES IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

Right from the first hours of the Russian invasion in free Ukraine, The Association “Homecare” was unconditionally involved in helping Ukrainian refugees, thus contributing to the efforts of the Republic of Moldova to meet the demand for health and social protection services in the context of managing the flow of Ukrainian refugees.

A special attention in this titanic work is the cooperation with the local public authorities, as it is the case of the Town Hall in the village of Taul, Donduseni district, which began to receive refugees adapting on the fly to the needs of people fleeing the war.

“Volunteering was the key word in the early months of 2022, when the bombing of Ukrainian cities and the massacres by Russian occupation troops of the peaceful population of Ukraine displaced millions of people. I will never forget that day of February 24, 2022 when Ukrainian refugees started coming to our village. Most of them were passing because the Russian missiles were falling right near the customs office in Otaci town and no one believed that the “Muscals” would be satisfied only with Ukraine” – this is how the discussion began with Corneliu Ticu, secretary of the Town Council of Taul.

It is no longer news that the LPAs were not prepared for such a calamity, but in those moments they mobilized from small to large to face the major influx of refugees. To make it clear how difficult it was, Corneliu Ticu comes up with a suggestive figure – the population of the village suddenly increased by more than 10%, that is, in a few hours they had to prepare the accommodation conditions for an unknown number of refugees. In total, more than 300 people fleeing the war passed through Taul.

“First of all I found a sleeping place. It was a room in the Palace of Culture in Taul, by the way the largest building of this kind in the villages of Moldova. While we were arranging it, we were looking for food products – the people who travelled hundreds of kilometres under bombardment needed a recreation space but also a warm meal, not to mention conditions for personal hygiene. In this sense, I was very lucky that the Medical and Social Center “St. Iuliana” which is part of the Homecare network. Involved in their own activities to help refugees, the center’s collaborators have been and remain with us since the first refugee entered the village. At the center they showered, washed their clothes and also received first aid.”

It was an unprecedented mobilization for our fellow villagers, claims Corneliu Ticu. “Just imagine what it’s like to feed hundreds of people a day from your own resources – everyone brought something to eat from home. Everyone mobilized, including economic agents. I believe that it is a brave act of our people that will constitute a special chapter in the history of the village of Taul.”

After 2 years since the beginning of the war, the 13 Ukrainian refugees settled in Taul continue to receive assistance – the sleeping space for receiving refugees remains active and the colleagues from the “St. Iuliana” offer them psychological and medical support, personal hygiene products, medical first aid kits, underwear, refrigerators, food products and, last but not least, legal assistance.

“Where there are many, power grows – this is actually the motto of the collaboration between the public administration with the medico-social center “St. Iuliana”. We are proud of the fact that in certain situations we call them, with special respect, our colleagues from Homecare”, concluded Corneliu Ticu, secretary of the local council in the village of Taul, Donduseni district.

The Association “HOMECARE”, with the financial support of the international organization HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., within the Project “Medical and Social Services for Ukrainian refugees from Moldova – Phase III”, continues to remain involved in helping Ukrainian refugees, thus contributing to the efforts of the Republic of Moldova to meet the demand for health and social protection services in the context of managing the flow of Ukrainian refugees.

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